Simmons camp has 'concerns' about GOP chairman Healy

By Brian Lockhart, Staff Writer

Published 12:35 am, Monday, February 22, 2010

Just when you thought the race for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination could not grow more contentious, Rob Simmons' backers are accusing state GOP Chairman Chris Healy of a conflict of interest because his wife is employed by Simmons' chief rival, former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon.

McMahon's campaign hired Healy's wife, former journalist Suzan Bibisi, last fall to help with campaign communications and travel with her to grass-roots events.

McMahon and Simmons are vying to replace Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd, who is not running for re-election. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is expected to be the Democratic

• ominee.

Bibisi, according to McMahon's most recent campaign finance report, was paid $6,532 on Nov. 30 and a total of $7,206 in December. Her salary would project to about $120,000 annually.

Bibisi's position is no secret. Some Simmons supporters -- and even the campaign -- have begun questioning the situation, grumbling that Healy's role as unbiased referee in May's nominating convention has been compromised by McMahon's self-funded money machine.

Another person who understands the thinking within the Simmons camp used far stronger language.

"While the Simmons campaign has held out hope that Healy would prove to be an honest broker, they have since lost confidence based on what they believe are Healy's actions in support of McMahon's campaign and the fact he has a big financial stake that grows each day McMahon remains in the race," the person said.

Healy, during an interview Sunday, said he is still an honest broker and if it can be proved that he asked a delegate or potential delegate to the Republican convention to back McMahon over Simmons, "then I'll quit. ... That's ridiculous." Healy said it is inappropriate for him to support any one candidate, but he said that recently, at the suggestion of some other party insiders, he did ask Simmons whether he would be open to running for the former congressional seat he lost in 2006.

"When people ask me to think about it and make an offer to discuss it with the Simmons people, I have a responsibility to do that," Healy said, emphasizing he was only the messenger.

He also called allegations that McMahon has bought his support through Bibisi's salary "absurd. ... It comes from the same faceless people that thought I was in the tank for Rob six months ago."

Healy ran Simmons' 2006 campaign, has friends involved in Simmons' 2010 Senate bid and said he thinks of the candidate as "an older brother."

Healy said -- and the Simmons campaign confirmed -- that his wife initially sought a job with Simmons and later notified the Simmons campaign when she was going to work for McMahon.

But at least one Republican State Central Committee member and Simmons backer said conversations with Healy have showed that he prefers McMahon. This individual, who declined to be named, suggested Healy completely remove himself from participating in the match.

"I'd argue Chris Healy has done an awful lot of good for the Republican Party," the Central Committee member said. But voicing doubt that Healy "is seeing the facts clearly," the official said, "I think stepping back from this race because he does have a personal interest ... would be the best possible outcome."

Healy said he and Bibisi discussed whether she should take the position.

"Given the type of job it was and our professional history and, I think, our honor as professional people, we felt and knew where that line was, like many other people in many other professions," Healy said. "I'm very comfortable. She's very comfortable. A lot of this is just really complete inside, inside baseball."

McMahon spokesman Ed Patru said the Simmons campaign is trying to find a "scapegoat" for a "sputtering" campaign.

A spokesman for GOP Senate candidate Peter Schiff said Sunday that the campaign was not going to take a position on the issue.

Some active rank-and-file Republicans said they had no idea Bibisi worked for McMahon and expressed varying views.

John Moulson, Preston's GOP chairman, who is leaning toward backing Simmons and has previously lamented the role of McMahon's wealth in the campaign, said Friday that he was unaware of Bibisi's job.

"My initial reaction would be it seems a little inappropriate," Moulson said. "I kind of agree with the Simmons people on that."

State Rep. John Hetherington, R-New Canaan, who has endorsed Simmons, also said he was surprised to learn of Bibisi's involvement with McMahon, but he said he did not think Healy has been compromised.

"I frankly don't see what could be done by him, even if he was inclined to, that could be done without some opportunity to have it exposed," Hetherington said. "There's not a lot of opportunity for mischief."

But others said there are plenty of opportunities for a party chairman to have an influence on decisions at the convention to favor a particular candidate.

"I think she (Bibisi) shouldn't have pursued it in the first place," one Republican official said. "I don't know how there's a remedy to this with the exception of him saying, 'I will not preside over the convention.' "

Norwalk Mayor Richard Moccia, a Republican who said he has been growing more concerned with the rhetoric between McMahon and Simmons but has yet to endorse either candidate, said, "She took a job. Do you say to the chairman his wife ... is not supposed to take a job?

"I just get more and more concerned we're losing sight of the goal line," Moccia said. "If you want to elect a responsible Republican to take Dodd's place, the target has to be Democratic policies. You have to go after issues."